Sirach 51

Bishops(i) 1 I wyll thanke thee O Lorde and king, and prayse thee O God my sauiour: I wyll yeelde prayse vnto thy name. 2 For thou art my defender and helper, and hast preserued my body from destruction, from the snares of trayterous tongues, and from the lippes that are occupied with lyes. 3 Thou hast ben my helper from such as stoode vp against me, and hast deliuered me after the multitude of thy mercie, and for thy holy names sake, from the roring of them that prepared them selues to deuour me, out of the handes of such as sought after my lyfe, from the multitude of them that troubled me, 4 And from them that went about to set fyre vpon me on euery side, so that I am not brent in the middest of the fyre: 5 From the deepe of hell, from an vncleane tongue, from lying wordes, from false accusation to the king, and from an vnrighteous tongue. 6 My soule shall prayse the Lorde vnto death: for my lyfe drewe nye vnto hell downewarde. 7 They compassed me round about on euery syde, and there was no man to helpe me: I loked about me if there were any man that would succour me: but there was none. 8 Then thought I vpon thy mercie O Lorde, and vpon thy actes that thou hast done euer of olde: [namely] that thou deliuerest such as put their trust in thee, and riddest them out of the handes of the heathen. 9 Thus lyft I vp my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliueraunce from death. 10 I called vpon the Lorde the father of my Lorde, that he would not leaue me without helpe in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proude. 11 I wyll prayse thy name continually, yeelding honour and thankes vnto it: and so my prayer was heard. 12 Thou sauedst me from destruction, and deliueredst me from the vnrighteous time: therefore wyll I acknoweledge and prayse thee, and magnifie the name of the Lorde. 13 When I was yet but young, or euer I went astray, I desired wysdome openly in my prayer. 14 I came therfore before the temple and sought her vnto the last: then florished she vnto me, as a grape that is soone rype. 15 My heart reioyced in her, then went my foote the right way: yea from my youth vp sought I after her. 16 I bowed downe myne eare and receaued her: I founde me much wysdome, and prospered greatly in her. 17 Therfore wyll I ascribe the glory vnto him that geueth me wysdome. 18 For I am aduised to do thereafter, I wyll be gelous to cleaue vnto the thing that is good, so shall I not be confounded. 19 My soule hath wrestled with her, and I haue ben diligent to be occupied in her: I lift vp myne handes on hye, then was my soule lightened through wysdome that I knowledged my foolishnes. 20 I ordered my soule after her, she and I were one heart from the beginning, and I found her in cleannesse, and therfore shall I not be forsaken. 21 My heart longed after her, and I gat a good treasure. 22 Through her the Lorde hath geuen me a new tongue, wherewith I wyll prayse him. 23 O come vnto me ye vnlearned, and dwell in the house of wysdome: 24 Withdrawe not your selues from her, but talke & commune of these thinges: for your soules are very thirstie. 25 I opened my mouth, and spake: O come and bye wysdome without money. 26 Bowe downe your necke vnder her yoke, and your soule shall receaue wysdome: she is harde at hande, and is content to be founde. 27 Beholde with your eyes, howe that I haue had but litle labour, & yet haue founde much rest. 28 O receaue wysdome, and ye shal haue plenteousnes of siluer and golde in possession. 29 Let your minde reioyce in his mercie, and be not ashamed of his prayse. 30 Worke his worke betimes, and he shal geue you your rewarde in due season.